Las Vegas: Electric Daisy Carnival Counts One Death

While the cause of death is still unknown, it would seem that a 24 year-old male attendee of the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, Nevada passed away last night during the popular EDM festival. Crowds numbered close to 135,000 people, a record high in the history of the dance music festival. In addition, temperatures soared this weekend to a record-tying high: 113 degrees Farenheit. In such intense conditions, it is not unheard of for festival-goers to experience medical emergencies, but what is certain is that a death is always bad news for the Electric Daisy Carnival’s PR team.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the man who passed away,” the festival’s organizer, Insomniac Inc., said in a statement to the press. “The health and safety of our fans is Insomniac’s first priority and we take every measure to create a safe environment.”

The young man’s name has not yet been disclosed to the public. Investigator Derek Dubasik, of the Clark County coroner’s office in Nevada, has stated that his team is still working to identify the man.

“Based on the location and circumstances involved, it’ll take four to eight weeks before we’ll have toxicology results back and can determine the cause of death,” Dubasik said.

The last time the region recorded such hot temperatures was in 1961, according to the National Weather Service of Las Vegas. Even at night, temperatures dropped only to 97 degrees on the Saturday night.

The event’s organizers have provided hydration and cooling stations around the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the venue for the festival. This has become increasingly standard protocol at such events in recent years, both for safety and for legal reasons. The organizers encourage attendees to drink plenty of water and stay cool and hydrated.

They also provide first aid stations with medical workers around the site, in addition to medical teams who roam the site in order to be as available as possible in case of emergencies.

This year, the festival recorded 408 medical calls over a 12-hour period, most of which were minor. Seven people were taken to hospitals, and there was one fatality. The police reported 26 drug-related arrests, ten misdemeanor arrests, and one DUI.

The event is famous for its line-up of commercial DJ’s, for its elaborate stages, its carnival rides, and pyrotechnic art installations. Last year, three people died at EDC in Las Vegas.